A rational bill, please

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Published on: 6/4/2011

Sometimes, you just have to ask whether any rational thought goes into some of the measures introduced in the state Capitol. Such would be the case, for example, with a concealed-carry bill that is so irresponsible that it drew the justified wrath of Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn last week.

"I also want to take this as an opportunity to call upon Gov. Walker to exhibit statesmanship and provide adult supervision over the chaotic legislative process that seems bent on inflicting a reckless and foolish concealed-carry law on the citizens of Wisconsin," Flynn said during a news conference after a gunfight involving a police officer Wednesday night.

The good news is that Gov. Scott Walker agrees with Flynn that adjustments in the bill are needed, although Walker stopped short Friday of promising a veto if the changes are not made. The governor should take that next step because the current proposal is downright scary.

The bill, passed by a Senate committee recently, would allow Wisconsin residents to carry concealed weapons without permits or training as long as they're not felons or otherwise barred from possessing firearms. It also could prevent owners of outdoor venues, such as Summerfest or State Fair or the parking lots at Lambeau Field and Miller Park, from barring folks with guns on the property.

Just what the state needs: Cubs and Brewers fans packing heat while tailgating.

Make no mistake, there is a case for a rational concealed-carry law that allows responsible citizens to carry weapons. Wisconsin is one of only two states that does not allow concealed carry, and the experience in the other 48 states has not been nearly as dire as critics charge.

A good bill in Wisconsin should require a permit, a realistic amount of training, a background check and access for law enforcement to a database of permit holders. Those records should be subject to the state Open Records Law so that citizens can be assured of transparency and accountability.

It's worth noting that in a 1986 ruling ordering the release of concealed-carry permit records, the California Supreme Court said that while some of the holders of concealed-carry licenses may prefer anonymity, it is doubtful that such preferences outweigh the "fundamental and necessary" right of the public to examine the basis upon which such licenses were issued. That principle holds true in Wisconsin.

A good bill also would increase the penalty for illegally carrying a concealed weapon from a misdemeanor to a felony. Flynn, Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. and Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm all support the felony penalty of three years jail time. Legislators should, too.

And they should support a training element in the bill. Safety training programs originally developed by the National Rifle Association have helped dramatically reduce shooting accidents among hunters. Outstanding work has been done by sportsmen's clubs and volunteer safety trainers throughout Wisconsin to teach people who buy hunting licenses.

State Department of Natural Resources numbers show that there were 44 shooting accidents per 100,000 hunters in 1966, the year before formal hunter education began. That rate had dropped to four per 100,000 in 1994. In 2010, it was 1.9 per 100,000.

State Rep. Garey Bies (R-Sister Bay), a former Door County sheriff's deputy, said he's proposing an amendment that would require a permit, background check and training on how to handle a gun based on the handler's experience. He also said he's in favor of stronger penalties for not having a permit, although he hasn't decided how much.

Bies should push his amendment and add the open records requirement and the felony penalty.

If a bill reaches Walker - who said Friday he favored permits and training - without those elements, the governor should provide that adult supervision and use his veto pen.

Wisconsinites - those who carry guns and those who don't - deserve a sensible and responsible concealed-carry law.

Should a concealed-carry law in Wisconsin require a permit and training? To be considered for publication as a letter to the editor, e-mail your opinion to the Journal Sentinel editorial department.